UKC

My mate and I climbed Eagle Ridge last Saturday. A grand day out in great weather with the only problem (apart from the snow on approach) being some confusion over the first pitch. It appears we took a groove and slab further up the gully than most. We carefully followed a topo from Classic Rock which I diligently enlarged and followed to a T. Heaps of gear in the route, pegs and abandoned gear, right up to the crest which gave us confidence we on the right route. Didnt quite mesh with the SMC guide though from the ground but it looked obvious especially since you could see the abandoned gear from the gully. Two thirds up there was a small corner, with a peg and some other gear with quite a hard move out left and up onto a slab before reaching the crest. Again more pegs, and clearly others had been here before, but way harder than 4a. Wondering if anyone else has had the same experience.

In reply to ozandrew:

Went up there a few years ago to do it with a friend. I wasn't paying much attention on the approach and saw the gear in the groove as you mentioned. My friend led the first pitch to the gear, she found it wet in parts and quite difficult for Severe. We rapped off and on descent from the gully we found the proper start up a more subtle groove in the toe of the buttress / ridge. The gear and tat left in the higher groove is misleading and has probably been left there by retreating ice climbers on an independent ice line that gains the ridge higher up.
Hope that helps. Jules

In reply to ozandrew:

Several folk have started up the wrong groove. You should have been lower down. The SMC guide is correct (need I say otherwise):
1. 50m 4a Climb an obvious 20m groove, the lowest on the right wall of the gully. Easier climbing follows up a shallow gully and an awkward short chimney leading towards the grassy face on the right.

In reply to ozandrew:

Yes, just looked at Classic Rock and their topo is wrong. It should be the groove further right and lower down.

In reply to ozandrew:


Or you were at least making the same mistakes as lots of other people...

In reply to ozandrew:

You should have paid more attention to the photo in Classic Rock! Unmistakable.

In reply to dek:

Unlikely since that is the correct start.

In reply to ozandrew:

The first groove of Eagle Ridge is easy. If it feels hard, you're in the wrong groove.